Okolie vs Chamberlain: Johnny Nelson likens British Beef to Tony Bellew's win over David Haye
Thursday 1 February 2018 16:40, UK
Sky Sports expert Johnny Nelson says Lawrence Okolie's clash with Isaac Chamberlain can be compared to Tony Bellew's own domestic battle with David Haye.
Opinions are split on the outcome of this Saturday's cruiserweight fight, live on Sky Sports, with many suggesting that Okolie's knockout power will be decisive in the early rounds, while others believe Chamberlain can take command with his ring skills if he withstands a savage start.
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Bellew stood up to Haye's best shots at the very same venue last March before halting his bitter rival in a punishing encounter and Nelson asks 'The Bomber' whether Okolie-Chamberlain could follow a similar scenario.
Nelson: A lot of people have mentioned this reminding them of George Groves against James DeGale, but dare I say it, it has an air of a certain Haye versus Bellew.
Bellew: Well let's hope there's no injury this time!
Nelson: Everybody is expecting Okolie to blow Chamberlain away, because he has the punch power and the spotlight on him. It was the same with Haye. But the one thing that puts Chamberlain and Tony together is that his boxing ability is under-appreciated...
Bellew: And under-rated!
Everybody is expecting Okolie to blow Chamberlain away, because he has the punch power and the spotlight on him. It was the same with Haye.
Nelson: Well what we saw in the Haye-Bellew fight, we were all sitting there thinking 'wow, where did that come from', especially in those opening rounds. And I am not going to do that this time, we can't ignore the skill set Isaac has shown us already.
It is Chamberlain's skill over Okolie's power, and that's the problem we all thought Tony would have. He might be smart enough, he might be crafty enough but is he experienced enough? Tony had the wisdom to negate a good gameplan. Isaac has to be patient, calm, box Okolie and not get involved in a tear-up and wait until the fight gets later. Then he can take him into deep waters, like Tony did against Haye.
Bellew: This one is all about the first five rounds and Johnny has hit the nail on the head with my Haye fight, but there is one thing you can't afford to do, is just run for those first few rounds. You have to give him something to think about, you have to catch him coming in, maybe get him off balance and miss by a mile, then nail him. He is going to have to do different things, things I've seen Isaac do before. And he has to get through those five rounds to prove it.
Nelson: When you boxed, I knew you could bang, but I actually didn't realise you could box so well. It was calm, it was calculated and I remember thinking 'aye, aye!' Now, having seen all that, when you two box again, I see you winning again. I can't see David out-boxing you.
Bellew: He had emotionally invested everything into that fight, as much as he had done physically, so I am not joking, he really wanted to take my head off.
Is it important for both fighters to keep their composure?
Bellew: Okolie is 100 per cent emotionally invested. He wants to hurt Isaac Chamberlain. He even came out at post-fight press conferences asking 'Isaac who?', telling everybody what he's said, he's done that. Instead of just saying: "I am the Olympian, I'm the man to beat." He is focusing on Isaac Chamberlain and that shows he is fully invested. From the outside there is his approach and another guy who wants to use this as a stepping stone, a springboard, which he has set up, taking Okolie on so early.
Okolie is 100 per cent emotionally invested. He wants to hurt Isaac Chamberlain.
Nelson: We have seen this before as well. Nigel Benn took on Chris Eubank, first time around, to jump up the rankings but boy did he get caught up in it all.
Bellew: It was the same as me, when it came to Haye.
Nelson: Isaac is coming across as a smart, sharp-shooter with a quick mouth, but he has sat back and been calm. Lawrence is sitting forward, talking him down, trying to intimidate him and for those other fighters we have talked about, that has been the problem.
I do think that if Chamberlain gets past even the first three rounds, I expect him to out-box him. But Lawrence is a lot bigger, a lot stronger and we just haven't seen what he's got past a certain point. Does he tire? Does he slow down? Does he look flat-footed?
Bellew: We have seen him a couple of times Johnny, and in that six rounder he really struggled.
Will Okolie or Chamberlain be the winner on Saturday night?
Bellew: Look back at Eubank and Benn, Haye and myself, Okolie v Chamberlain, the one who is less emotionally invested usually wins. But I do think this time, all that is flipped around. I can make a case for Chamberlain and to be honest, if I was a betting man, I would work out a bet I couldn't possibly lose... Lawrence KO first five and if it goes past that, Chamberlain on points. But when I put my neck on the line, it always goes wrong... Okolie in nine.
Nelson: I am going with what I have seen, so I am expecting Chamberlain to get past the first three and then Okolie could find himself so tired, he could even get knocked out. My surprise would be Chamberlain knocking him out early. But that would be madness. I see him winning, though.
Watch Lawrence Okolie vs Isaac Chamberlain, from The O2, London, Saturday, February 3, live on Sky Sports Main Event & Action.
